by Kyle Larson
A solar screen deployment was a sight to behold. It was a huge tourist attraction for the few travelers Mercury saw everyday. Most came just to see the solar screen deployment. The giant, circular discs spun and flipped rapidly, dancing their way to whatever ship they would protect from the sun’s intense radiation. It was a light show of the sun’s intense glare, making the disc look something like a shooting star. Eventually, when it came close to whatever ship it would protect, the disc stopped spinning, which made it virtually invisible to the human eye. There was no other sight quite like it in the Nine Kingdoms of the Sun. Other kingdoms tried to replicate it, but it didn’t look anywhere as cool as it did near Mercury.
“I’ll go get him. He’s going to be so mad at himself if he misses this. He’s already not doing good,” Amelia said.
“You sure?”
“Yeah, he’ll listen to me,” Amelia said. That was unfortunately a burden Amelia had to deal with: keeping Kelvin happy so he could stay focused. She didn’t mind at first, but the constant struggle to cheer Kelvin up became tiresome. She thought at some point he was going to need to do it on his own, because she couldn’t keep it up. Hearing Princess Aren’s voice had really upset Kelvin, and he was having a hard time focusing on anything but that. He’d barely learned anything about the Kingdom of Mercury until just a few days ago, and only because Holloway and Amelia forced a book into his face.
“Hurry. It’s supposed to start soon,” Holloway said as Amelia swiftly left the room.
It didn’t take Amelia long to get to the science deck. The Royal Cabin came equipped with an elevator that could get Kelvin and Amelia anywhere in the Monarch within seconds. It was designed that way to give royalty privacy, as well as some security, since it was the only one on the ship. Within a few minutes, Amelia stood at the doorway to the radio lab.
It was empty and dimly lit, with only Kelvin seated at a computer terminal. His back was to Amelia and he had a large set of headphones on, so he couldn’t hear her walk in. In the recent months, Kelvin didn’t even bother calling in the radio engineers and scientists to help him. The computer programs were able to assist him almost as well, and there was really no more they could help. Kelvin knew where to listen and scan for the transmission. That’s what he was doing then.
“Kelvin,” Amelia said, not thinking he couldn’t hear her. “Kelvin!”
Kelvin jumped and took off his headphones. He was embarrassed Amelia caught him in the radio lab. He knew this made his friend worry about him, so he’d been trying to hide it. Suddenly, Kelvin remembered what time it was and the solar screen deployment was about to happen.
“Oh no, Millie,” Kelvin said. “I’m sorry. I totally forgot.”
“It’s okay. It hasn’t started yet. Just didn’t want you to miss it,” Amelia said.
“Let’s go,” Kelvin said and switched off the computer. He ran past Amelia and motioned her to follow.
“Hey!” Amelia said, laughing. She chased after him, trying to beat him. They both reached the elevator at the same time and the door closed behind them.
Even after months of taking the elevator, they never really got used to the sensation of it. The swaying back-and-forth, the up and down feeling your stomach makes on a carnival ride. That’s kind of what it felt like to ride in the elevator. It wasn’t unpleasant, because it was such a quick ride. There wasn’t a place on the Monarch they couldn’t get to within minutes of the Royal Cabin.
They raced through the Royal Cabin, up the stairway, and into the observation deck. Riz was there with Holloway, in his full formal attire, ready to be presented to Queen Evet. As soon as the solar screen deployment was finished, Kelvin would have to get into his, as well. He’d have to take a shower too, as it was the first time he would be meeting another royal house. It was important for him to meet Queen Evet.
All Kelvin knew about the queen was she was young, twenty-five. She was about the age his sister would have been by then. Evet’s parents were still alive, but her father had become ill, so she was anointed queen early then expected. She had not embarked on the traditions of service or visited the other kingdoms. Mercury was very similar to Earth in how it dealt with the other kingdoms. For the most part, Mercury just kept to themselves, but were friendly with all the kingdoms. Kind of like a distant cousin you don’t see very often.
“And where were you two?” Riz said, jokingly. “The show’s about to start. I just got word they are about to deploy the solar screens.”
“I was just finishing up some work in the radio lab,” Kelvin said.
Riz nodded in acknowledgment, trying to hide his desire Kelvin stopped looking for his sister. Riz knew Kelvin wouldn’t like what he would find, if Kelvin kept looking for the broadcast. The balance of keeping his secrets and trying to protect Kelvin at the same time was taking its toll on Riz.
“Oh, look!” Holloway cheered.
The brilliant orbs streaked toward the Monarch. They were massive and only looked bigger as the got closer. It was better than they had all imagined. Amelia had initially been nervous about taking this voyage through space, but she had come to love space. She loved looking out into the infinity of stars, and now it looked as if a few of them were putting on a show for her and her friends. Kelvin’s eyes were wide in amazement. To him, they looked more like fireballs, tumbling towards them. It was intense.
Just when it looked like the orbs would collide they vanished into the darkness, and a distorted view in a few parts of the sky were all that remained. It was a thrilling site. As soon as the darkness returned, Holloway and Riz got to it.
“Kelvin, I’d suggest you retire to your room and get prepared to be received. Try to get a little rest, as we still have at least an hour until we enter Mercury’s atmosphere. Queen Evet is expected to receive you at there Royal Tower, along with most of Mercury’s capital city, Titan. It should be quite a spectacle. Mercury doesn’t receive many royal visitors,” Riz said.
“Yeah, good idea,” Kelvin said. “I’ll be in my room if anyone needs me. Could you come get me a little bit before its time, Holloway?”
“Sure, Kelvin,” Holloway said. “Just get some rest and get yourself cleaned up. Most of Earth is going to be watching this. The Monarch is broadcasting it on over a hundred different Tube channels. Probably all around the Nine Kingdoms, too.”
If Kelvin had heard this a few months ago, it would have scared him. But since he’d become used to the celebrity his royal status gave him, Kelvin was fine in front of crowds. Most of them were just smiling faces who wanted to meet their soon-to-be leader.
Kelvin wandered down the stairs from the observation deck and into his room. He took a quick shower and laid out his formal uniform. It was the same uniform of Earth Navy. He sat back and turned on his phone, opening the Tube app and scrolling through his favorite channels. Tube was not something Kelvin got to do often, so it was nice to unwind and let his mind go blank for a little while. The time went by very fast and suddenly Holloway was ringing at his door.
It was time to land on Mercury and meet Queen Evet.
For being as close as Mercury was to the sun, the atmosphere was very dark. The daylight was a combination or gray and red, like a thunderstorm in the sunset. Kelvin noticed this especially as the Monarch descended toward Titan. Queen Evet had a Royal Tower of her own, which was actually ten times the size and height of Earth’s. That was because most the population of Titan lived in the tower. Most of Titan was tall skyscrapers, with its people all living thousands of feet above the actual surface of Mercury. Here they could create a layer of breathable air and control the temperature of their environment. Aside from it being a little dark, it was paradise.
The Monarch was just above the Royal Tower, and it lowered until it reached a large landing platform. Hundreds of rows of stadium seating surrounded it, filled with thousands of Mercury’s people, who hoped to get a glance at their queen and the Prince of Earth. It was quite an event for the little planet.
Kelv
in took a deep breath as he felt the Monarch come to a stop. The airlock in front of him would open, and he would be face to face with Queen Evet, not to mention the large crowd of people he could already hear. He turned to find Amelia, who quickly met his glance and smiled. She was waiting a few feet behind him, trying to keep out of sight, not looking forward to being in front of that many people. She wasn’t nervous, just a little shy. Kelvin was too.
The airlock opened and the reddish light of Mercury flooded his vision. The crowd cheered loudly for Kelvin, who stepped out of the Monarch and onto the landing platform, waving slowly to the crowd. After he took in the crowd, he noticed the queen was seated on her throne, a few dozen feet from him. Queen Evet had a pale face with bright blue eyes and long, dark hair. She wore a small crown on her head, but her outfit was not formal, it was actually quite casual. The rest of the people around her were dressed similar, as if it were a normal day. Kelvin actually felt quite foolish for being as dressed up as he was.
Queen Evet stared coldly at Kelvin as he walked toward her. Once he reached her throne, he did something no royal had ever done to another: he kneeled down and bowed his head. The whole crowd went quiet in shock.
“Thank you, Queen Evet, and thank you, people of Mercury, for such a warm welcome,” Kelvin said.
The queen offered a small smile and motioned for Kelvin to stand. The crowd erupted in cheers again. Amelia had just come off the Monarch and she smiled when she saw Kelvin and the Queen being nice.
“Welcome, Prince Kelvin of Earth. We are honored to receive you and thank you for your offer of service. Mercury will humbly make a request of you and hope you can accomplish it, which would cement good faith between our two kingdoms for generations. We offer you and the people of the Monarch accommodations in the Royal Tower, but we must make our request of you now, and we must ask you to undertake it tomorrow,” Queen Evet said.
“Tomorrow?” Kelvin said, forgetting where he was and sounding a little defensive.
“Yes, Prince Kelvin, you must start tomorrow. We understand this is short notice, but we must ask this of you,” Queen Evet said, her voice going cold. “Do you refuse us? If you refuse us, no other house in the Nine Kingdoms will receive you, and Earth will only fall further from the great kingdom it once was.”
Kelvin felt anger creep into his mind at her suggestion, but he held it together. He had to be better than that and couldn’t let anger control his actions. It would only make things more difficult for him and for his friends. Kelvin took a breath and thought about his words for a few seconds before saying anything back.
“What is your request, Queen Evet?” Kelvin said, calmly.
“Find and capture the Pirates of Mercury. Do this, and you are a true ally of Mercury. Do you accept?”
Kelvin closed his eyes for a moment. He heard his sister’s voice. That was all he could hear, and he believed the Pirates of Mercury had something to do with her disappearance. He could find her, capture the pirates, and complete his first task. It would help everybody. There was no doubt in Kelvin’s mind.
“I accept.”
CHAPTER TEN
“THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS,” Riz muttered to himself, as the royal escorts from Queen Evet’s court escorted Kelvin’s small entourage into his guest quarters. It was a much smaller group than Queen Evet traveled with, as she had hundreds of attendants and servants follow her out after she greeted Kelvin. “Absolutely outrageous.”
“Riz,” Holloway said, in her own way of shushing him.
Riz had made it apparent–whether intentionally or not– to Kelvin that he was displeased with their reception by Queen Evet. Kelvin had no idea what to expect, but Riz made sure to inform him this was not how things were usually done. There should have been a festival and grand procession welcoming Kelvin to Mercury, but instead it was a cold opening of the front door, along with an immediate request. Riz thought Kelvin was being unfairly punished for Earth’s withdrawal from the Nine Kingdoms of the Sun.
Kelvin wasn’t sure what to think. This was all new to him and he was just excited to be on Mercury. Every window he looked out of, every view, was something new for him. Having been confined to the Royal Tower on Earth his whole life, it was cool to see a world so strange. The sunlight on the planet was more red than orange, and it looked like sunset on the horizon in every direction he looked. The only thing Kelvin hoped for was a tour, but with the timeframe of Queen Evet’s request, he would have to wait another day for that.
The only invitation extended was for Kelvin – and Kelvin alone– to have dinner with Queen Evet in a few hours. She would be by herself as well and Kelvin hoped she could give him some advice, or at least share stories of her travels through the Nine Kingdoms. The excitement of the new environment shielded Kelvin from the nervousness Amelia, Holloway, and Riz had about Queen Evet’s request. She had essentially asked him to go find the boogeyman, and Kelvin agreed. The Traditions of Service were very specific when it came to completing tasks requested by a king or queen: Kelvin and the Monarch could not move on to their next planet until Queen Evet deemed their task complete. Riz and everyone else were afraid Kelvin would be stuck on Mercury for a very long time. If he couldn’t find the Pirates of Mercury, he would not be able to complete the Traditions of Service, and the whole journey would have been a waste.
Riz had a lot of hope in Kelvin. He wanted to see the Kingdom of Earth back in it’s rightful place as the strongest kingdom in the Nine Kingdoms of the Sun. Now, they would have to go looking for something Riz knew was very dangerous. Riz knew it was much more complicated than simply finding the Pirates of Mercury. If Kelvin could find them, Riz knew it would change things, not just for the Kingdom of Earth, but for all the kingdoms in the solar system. The problem for Riz is that he believed Kelvin would not have any problems finding the Pirates of Mercury…because they wanted to be found.
Kelvin looked around his quarters and they were much more grand than what he was used to on Earth. In his reading, Kelvin learned that Mercury had a tradition of making everything on their planet as rich and luxurious as they could. Since the planet was barren, the few cities that were on it were built to present great royal prestige. The people of Mercury considered themselves to be very logical and intelligent. Some of the best minds of the Nine Kingdoms had come from Mercury over the last few hundred years, and Mercury made sure everyone knew it.
The ceiling was very high and covered in paintings that depicted the history of Mercury. From the first human settlers who toiled underground to the magnificent solar screens that allowed humans to live on the surface, it was the whole history of the planet in painstaking detail. Kelvin couldn’t imagine how long it had taken the artists to paint out such an elaborate and large depiction. All the other walls were covered in bookshelves, with a library of Mercury history and science books. Kelvin walked over and browsed some of the books. The only names he recognized were authors of Mercury, so he assumed the library only housed Mercury literature and science.
“They think they’re soooo great,” Riz said, sarcastically as he stared up at the painting. It was not the first time Riz had been in these quarters. This is where King Erelm and Queen Eleyn stayed, long ago, when state visits to Mercury were a regular part of the king’s schedule. Riz could see that not much had changed about Mercury’s pride in the decade since he’d last stood in the room. Now that Riz thought of it, the room looked exactly as he remembered it. It had only been a little over ten years, but with everything that had happened, it seemed to be a lifetime ago. “They don’t bother to mention that most their doctors and scientists went to college on other planets. They don’t bother to mention the University of New Mars’ science department was where most of their great minds made discoveries. It’s all about Mercury.”
“They’re a very proud people, Riz,” Holloway said. Since their time on the Monarch and the more Holloway got to know Riz, she stopped referring to him as Sir Ristep. “They came from nothing and are still building up the r
esources that most other planets have had for centuries. The people of Mercury have had to work harder for everything they have.”
“Yet, they don’t bother to mention the scientists they claim to have made all these discoveries were working with scientists from all the other planets in the Nine Kingdoms. It was a team effort. No one planet is better than the others,” Riz argued. To him, Mercury’s pride was more arrogant. Queen Evet and her family represented everything wrong with the monarchy of the Nine Kingdoms.
“Still…Mercury doesn’t get the attention many others do. It’s not a pretty planet, and for most of the time humans have been here they were forced to live underground. Woking with what the people of Mercury had, I think it’s quite an achievement that we are even standing in this tower. I think the people of Mercury are quite insecure when it comes to their role in the Nine Kingdoms of the Sun. This display just shows they want people to remember they were part of the formation of the Nine Kingdoms,” Holloway said.
Riz could see he was being negative, so he backed off and pretended to examine the books on the wall, as he could see Kelvin and Amelia were focused on doing. Amelia and Kelvin had already tuned out the debate.
“So…it’s just you and the queen for dinner tonight. You nervous?” Amelia said.
“I dunno,” Kelvin said, just as a spine on the bookshelf caught his eye. Navigating the Antioch Belt: A Field Guide To Celestial Sightseeing. Kelvin lifted the heavy book off the shelf. The book was thick, but for an atlas, it had neither the length or width of it’s pages Kelvin would expect. When he opened it all it was were dense mathematical equations, italicized letters and numbers, blocked together, presenting reading material that would require education well-beyond his. He flipped through the pages and eventually found a series of maps tucked into them. Someone had written notes along the maps, once again, in the form of mathematical equations and handwriting so small it was barely legible. One word drew Kelvin’s eyes, as it was written larger than anything else and underlined: treasure.